West Deptford Township School District budget 2026-27

West Deptford Township School District

Gloucester County · 2026-27 budget, from New Jersey Department of Education files. Budgets are set for a whole district, so every school in it shares these figures.

Spending

Day-to-day spending2025-26: $56.6M → 2026-27: $58M (+2.5%)The general fund's current expense: salaries, benefits, supplies and services. Not building projects or debt.
Employee benefits2025-26: $10.9M → 2026-27: $13.5M (+23.7%)23.3% of day-to-day spending.Gloucester County median +16.9% · New Jersey median +18.2%
Everything else2025-26: $45.6M → 2026-27: $44.5M (-2.6%)Gloucester County median -0.4% · New Jersey median +0.5%

Where the money comes from

Local school tax levy2025-26: $38.7M → 2026-27: $40.1M (+3.6%)Gloucester County median +4.3% · New Jersey median +5%
State school aid, K–122025-26: $15.6M → 2026-27: $16.6M (+6%)Gloucester County median +4.4% · New Jersey median +4.9%
- Equalization aid$9.5M → $10.3M
- Special education aid$3,885,581 → $3,907,085
- Transportation aid$1.6M → $1.7M
- Security aid$662,101 → $611,226
Equalization, special education, transportation and security aid together can rise by no more than 6% a year, and this district is at that limit: the formula alone would have given more. Equalization aid is based on the gap between what the state's formula says a district needs and the share it expects local taxes to raise. From the state's aid files: 2025-26, 2026-27
State preschool aid2025-26: $2.5M → 2026-27: $3M (+18.8%)Paid into a separate fund that can only be spent on preschool. From the state's preschool aid files: 2025-26, 2026-27
Federal special education grant (IDEA)2025-26: $865,390 → 2026-27: $886,449 (+2.4%)Gloucester County median +1.7% · New Jersey median +1.7%Federal money for students with disabilities, ages 3 to 21. The 2026-27 award is the state's preliminary figure. From the state's IDEA award files: 2025-26, 2026-27
Surplus budgeted to balance the budget2025-26: $690,524 → 2026-27: $70,091Planned amount, not what is left in reserve. Does not include capital or maintenance reserve withdrawals.

Health insurance costs

Health benefits, audited2022-23: $6M → 2024-25: $7M (+16.6%)Gloucester County median +17.6% · New Jersey median +18.1%What the district actually spent, from its audited annual financial reports: 2022-23, 2024-25

Teachers

Students per teacher2021-22: 12 → 2024-25: 11.9Gloucester County median 11.5 · New Jersey median 10.7
Median teacher salary2024-25: $91,786Gloucester County median $73,302 · New Jersey median $78,587

New Jersey School Performance Reports

Medians are across districts whose budgets are comparable; services commissions and districts outside the state aid formula are left out.